College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Master of Human Resources (M.H.R.) program is designed to provide qualified individuals from any undergraduate major with the conceptual, analytical, strategic orientation, and operational knowledge needed to assume a position in human resource management. The program is based on an orientation which provides a proper balance of theoretical and practical knowledge as well as in-depth preparation in human resource management. Excellence in human resource management requires an understanding of business drivers of the modern profit or non-profit organization and the external environment in which it functions. To acquire this understanding, students are required to complete courses in the areas of management, business, economics, legal compliance, organizational development & change, and human resource technology. At the completion of the program, students are expected to possess the sophisticated analytical, verbal, and intellectual skills needed to forecast human capital needs, hire new employees, and create an environment which promotes maximum employee engagement, effectiveness, and efficiency.

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

We are pleased to inform you that the Master of Human Resource (MHR) program is fully aligned with the recommended requirements for HR degree programs as outlined in SHRM's HR Curriculum Guidelines. SHRM, the pre-eminent international human resource management professional association, is the gold standard for HR programs. Thus, we are very grateful that our program has achieved this significant recognition (to view the certificate, click here). This is another example of the value of a Framingham State University graduate degree. In addition, graduating MHR students with 500 hours of relevant non-exempt or exempt experience may apply for and take the SHRM Certified Professional exam (SHRM-CP). SHRM membership is not required. For more information, go to the shrm.org site.

Program Requirements

The program consists of eleven (11) required courses. In addition, two (2) prerequisite undergraduate courses are required (may be waived by the Program Coordinator). Students with appropriate academic background may be permitted to waive the two foundation courses.

Waivers are generally not granted if the corresponding undergraduate course(s) were completed more than seven years prior to application. Waivers are not granted for non-academic prior learning, and are determined solely on the basis of the student’s undergraduate or graduate record. All waivers require written approval by the program advisor.

Students are expected to be familiar with office/management level software.

Students may take courses in any sequence subject to the following general requirements:

Students must complete the two foundation courses early in their program as these are prerequisite courses to core courses and electives.

Students must observe prerequisites. Courses taken without the proper prerequisites will not be applicable to the student’s degree requirements unless written approval is obtained from the student’s advisor.

MGMT 985 Seminar in Human Resource Management is the culminating course in the students program. Registration requires prior written permission from the Dean of Graduate Studies. Students will not be permitted to fulfill this requirement with a course transferred from another institution. The seminar can only be taken in the last semester of study. Exceptions, requiring written advisor approval, may be made for students taking an elective course over the summer.

Prerequisite Undergraduate Course Requirements(2):

ECON 610 Economic Analysis

MGMT 600 Foundations of Business

Human Resources Management Concentration Requirements:

Program Core Courses (10):

MGMT 900 Foundations of Human Resource Management

MGMT 904 Management and Leadership

MGMT 922 Employment Law

MGMT 934 Human Resource Information Systems

MGMT 946 Organizational Development and Change

MGMT 955 Compensation and Performance Management

MGMT 963 Employee Benefits

MGMT 969 Business Ethics

MGMT 972 Training and Development

MGMT 977 Managing Global Diversity in Organizations

Program Capstone Course (1):

MGMT 985 Seminar in Human Resources Management

Admission Requirements

Have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Students are evaluated primarily on the basis of the distribution of courses they have taken as undergraduate and, if applicable, courses taken in another graduate program, and on their undergraduate and graduate grades.

Submit a typed, 300-word personal statement discussing their motivation for seeking a master’s degree in view of prior formal education, current job responsibilities, and career plans.

Provide two letters of recommendation submitted on the Framingham State University Letter of Recommendation form and sent directly to the University’s Graduate Admissions office by the recommender. One letter must be from an employer or supervisor, and the other must be from a faculty member who has taught the candidate at collegiate level if the candidate attended classes in the last five years;

Have an overall undergraduate quality point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale in a program acceptable to the admissions committee, including successful completion of business and economics courses taken as an undergraduate. Students who do not meet these requirements may be offered the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to do successful graduate work by:

Taking two advisor-approved courses and earning a grade of B (3.00) or better in each course;OR

Taking either the Graduate Management Admissions Test, Graduate Record Examination, or the Miller Analogies Test and achieving a score in the 60th percentile higher.

Evaluation of the materials submitted by the applicant for admission to the Master of Human Resources program will begin as soon as all required documents have been received. Applicants may be admitted to the program for the fall or spring semesters, although courses may be taken during the summer term.